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Budget Inn Express - Columbia

2.5 star property
Travelers stay connected with reliable in-room WiFi at this practical hotel near Williams Brice Stadium, where the 24-hour front desk ensures help whenever needed

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Exterior - Budget Inn Express - Columbia (Columbia)
Exterior - Budget Inn Express - Columbia (Columbia)
Property grounds - Budget Inn Express - Columbia (Columbia)
Budget Inn Express - Columbia is a convenient base for stadium visitors. Guests appreciate practical amenities like in-room WiFi and self-parking. The 24-hour front desk staff is always available to assist with any questions or needs.

Reviews

4.4 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • 24/7 front desk

Room options

About the neighborhood

Located in Columbia, Budget Inn Express - Columbia is in the city center. Lake Murray and Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Riverbanks Zoo and Garden and Koger Center for the Arts. Looking to enjoy an event or a game? See what's going on at Colonial Life Arena or Williams Brice Stadium. Visit our Columbia travel guide
Map
1601 Sunset Dr, Columbia, SC, 29203

What's nearby

  • Earlewood Park
    9 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • NOMA Bark Park
    10 min walk - 0.6 miles
  • Auntie Karen Foundation
    15 min walk - 0.8 miles
  • Segra Park
    1 min drive - 1.1 miles
  • Imara Woman
    3 min drive - 0.9 miles

Getting around

  • Columbia Station
    14 min drive
  • Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)
    24 min drive

Restaurants

  • McDonald's
    4 min drive
  • Circle K
    4 min drive
  • Church's Texas Chicken
    19 min walk
  • Burger King
    8 min walk
  • Starbucks
    3 min drive

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free self parking on site

Family friendly

  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk

Guest services

  • No housekeeping service

More

  • 2 floors
  • Built in 2008

Room amenities

Bathroom

  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Cable/satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Phone

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 1 PM
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards

Frequently asked questions

Is Budget Inn Express - Columbia pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Budget Inn Express - Columbia?

Check-in begins at 1 PM.

What time is check-out at Budget Inn Express - Columbia?

Check-out is at 11 AM.

Where is Budget Inn Express - Columbia located?

Located in the heart of Columbia, this hotel is steps from Palmetto Health Heart Hospital and 2.4 mi (3.8 km) from University of South Carolina. Earlewood Park and Palmetto Health Richland Hospital are also within 10 minutes.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Budget Inn Express - Columbia Reviews

4.4

4.8

Cleanliness

4.8

Location

5.2

Staff & service

4.0

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 8 out of 66 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 66 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 9 out of 66 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 14 out of 66 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 30 out of 66 reviews

Reviews

Verified

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

BARF! Not even worth $50/night!

Smoke leaked into our ‘non-smoking’ room from above; no TP; no soap or shampoo, dirty room; phone number disconnected; google maps says hotel is permanently closed… it should be condemned!
That’s it…
Smelled of marijuana in the curtains
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness
Good price and close to several fast food restaurants. The beds, shower and internet were all fine. The cleanliness needs some work though. When I arrived I found a pair of dirty socks underneath the table where the TV is (I was looking for a socket) and one of the drawers also had another guests old clothes in it. The other guests were not very friendly, and there are a lot of cars blaring music going by day/night. I was also awakened at 5am by the fire alarm going off. Be careful of the people in the neighborhood. There was a homeless person sleeping under a bench, also I was asked for money by a man on the street and I was yelled at by two men for walking up behind them and not announcing my presence (They were walking very slowly). Overall, I assume it is a very low income neighborhood, so don't go outside after dark. Also there is no laundry, and the front desk does not print documents or offer too many benefits. Good price and not a bad hotel, but not many services offered and be careful of the other hotel residents as well as the people in the neighborhood.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
If you are expecting to pay $44 and receive more than what this place has to offer, then the problem is you. The person at the front desk was friendly, personable, and accommodating. Did the room smell like stale weed? Yes. Did the top comforter have crusty stains on it? Of course. But no matter where you stay, you never use the top comforter anyway. Did I sleep like a baby knowing that I wasn't spending upwards of $100 just to sleep and leave in the morning? You bet your ass I did. If you need more than a soft bed and hot a shower, then stay somewhere else. If you only want to spend $44 then don't expect The Ritz-Carlton. Although I can say that The Budget Inn Express in Columbia, South Carolina was The Ritz-Carlton of run-down motels. I stayed two nights, slept like the dead, and felt safe. What more does one need? 5/5 stars.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

4/10 Poor

Isreal

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stay at your own risk!

When I checked in I had to wait for a long time & then was almost overcharged more than my Reservation....when my reservation price was way too much to stay there. The place is extremely old, run down, the doors were not secure, noisy & I had to fight Roaches! The only thing positive I can say about this property is at least you're not sleeping outside in the cold or heat.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Cool

Great little spot
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021
Verified

8/10 Good

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Good for the money

It was not fancy but good for the price. The location was also safe.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Very nice owner, safe place, room was clean, took care of us very fast
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2021
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Jeremy

Disliked: Staff & service

Never again

They wouldn’t even let us check in. The reservation price was $44 they told us we had to pay $75. This should be illegal.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

It's ok

It could use a mirror in the bathroom area and there where a few pests but overall not bat for what i needed it for.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020
Verified

2/10 Terrible

LaB30

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I opened the door and the first thing I see is a roach running across the floor and then roaches in the fridge. The towels and the pillow covers were not clean. Then there was soap from the previous guess in the shower. Luckily I was there just for the night for a football game a left right after.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Verified

2/10 Terrible

John

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Never again

You should not recommend this hotel to anyone, it is filthy, the bathroom tub showed mold, no place to hang clothing. Although I went ahead and paid the fees, after entering the room, there was no way that I would stay there overnight, truly disgusting
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Verified

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I didnt !ike anything about the place. It was seedy. No microwave in the room. Although promised in ads.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It is what it is. Basic but clean and comfortable for a good nights sleep along the way
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Property manager was very rude and i did not want to stay there. Not to mention the facility look nasty
Stayed 5 nights in May 2019
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was a horrific experience. I seen a roach in the first room I originally checked in to. I went back downstairs to ask for a new room. When I got into the second room i seen another roach in the bathroom as I was showering. The entire time I could not sleep because I was scared a roach was gonna crawl on me or something. TERRIBLE. HAVE TO DO BETTER
Stayed 1 night in May 2019
Verified

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Did not like the area or neighborhood where it was located. Did not feel safe or comfortable leaving my car outside
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I will never know because they do not answer the phone when you are going to arrive late . Called 5 different times over a 3 hour period and the phone rang , rang, rang. Then I got a call from them @ 11:54 pm, saying my room would be given away at midnight if I didn’t respond. Spent 15 minutes of ringing with no answer. Called back a minute later & they said my room had been given away. How can you give my room away when you don’t answer your phone. I expect a full refund!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019
Verified

2/10 Terrible

D.Kay

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I checked out a whole day early when I found another place. This place was very dirty, it smelled of urine. Thank God I am a nurse and had gloves with me. I did not touch anything. When I asked about not being charged because the place was so dirty they said I had to speak with the owner. I never saw that person. I was only there because it was right beside the hospital I was having orientation at.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2018
Verified

2/10 Terrible

David

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
* The desk clerk insisted upon full payment for six days even though I showed Expedia confirmation showing 1st night deposit payment. I had either to pay twice for the extra night or to abandon the deposit by going someplace else. *The toilet leaked--apparently the wax ring had failed. *There were only three electrical outlets in the room. The GFI by the sinks was defective. It was replaced after three days. Phone, toothbrush, and hearing aid charging was accomplished by unplugging the TV when it was time to sleep. *The light switch by the door did not turn on the lights but turned the TV off and on instead. *The TV remote did not work. Four attempts to re-program the remote. The TV set needed examination by that time. The TV worked but we had to get out of bed to operate it. *The fridge was unplugged each day. Why have it then? * Plaster repairs were not repainted. *The sheets were stained but they did appear clean. * The carpet was grungy and didn't appear to be vacuumed. * There were dim lights over the bed but no lights suitable for reading...none that illuminated the desk. *It was impossible to close the door to the toilet quietly. It was not fitted in the jamb properly--important in the wee hours. * No provision for hanging clothes. ********* Comfortable mattress. Sink/vanity was clean and new. Effective A/C. Clean shower with hot water. Good bath towel service. Quiet neighborhood. Hotel has potential but it needs work that can be done by handyman.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2018
Verified

4/10 Poor

Tonia

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I am so sorry but to answer untruthfully would be a crime and against the law but it was shelter and nothing else to put it mildly.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018
Verified

4/10 Poor

Conner

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

No such thing as non smoking room

We asked specifically for a non smoking room so the host showed us some other options and they all reeked of smoke. On top of that the room was no clean. We sprayed everything with Lysol. The water pressure was good though.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018
Verified

6/10 Okay

Jon

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort

"Low-Budget" Express Inn

You truly get what you pay for and, maybe it's just me, I would not pay over $50 USD for a room here. Check-in states 1pm, but the room I requested "was not ready" until 3:30pm. The room I requested was "unavailable", even with fewer than (6) vehicles in the parking lot at one time. Upside: the woman at the front desk was willing to give me a double-room setup for the same price as the single. For whatever reason, there are little-to-no power outlets.. So few that the Microwave and Mini-fridge were left unplugged. Had to move them to the nearest outlet available, which happened to be in front of the bathroom door and thus blocking movement. Plusses: comfy bed, clean room, A/C unit worked!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2018
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Michelle

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

roach infested hotel

I wasn"t even in this room 20 minutes.It's roach infested don't stay there.I had to buy a can of raid that didn't..they were coming out of the tv and all.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christopher

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Loved this stay

Very friendly staff
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017
Verified

2/10 Terrible

Marina

We had to pay for the hotel again

They charged us again at the hotel and the Indian guy said he would not charge us but it is on y bankcard. The tv was difficult to turn on. The room was clean but had some roaches.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017